Exodus 1:2 — Word Study
WLCרְאוּבֵ֣ן שִׁמְע֔וֹן לֵוִ֖י וִיהוּדָֽה׃
BSAReubenRᵉʼûwbên [the firstborn son, first in rank] SimeonShimʻôwn [hearing, one who hears] LeviLêvîy [joined, attached to God] and JudahYᵉhûwdâh [praise, one who offers praise]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| רְאוּבֵ֣ן | Reuben | Noun proper masculine |
| שִׁמְע֔וֹן | Simeon | Noun proper masculine |
| לֵוִ֖י | Levi | Noun proper masculine |
| וִיהוּדָֽה׃ | and Judah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; |
| KJV | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, |
| ASV | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, |
| YLT | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, |
| WEB | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, |
| BBE | Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; |
All translations agree on the names listed in this verse.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing the names of Jacob's sons.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 1:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Names of Jacob's Sonsgenerated
Exodus 1:2 lists the names of Jacob's sons who entered Egypt with him. This verse sets the stage for the story of the Israelites in Egypt, highlighting the beginnings of the tribes that would form the nation of Israel. The mention of these names is significant as they represent the patriarchal lineage and the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 35:22 | While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְהוּדָה, vi.hu.Dahgenerated
The name יְהוּדָה (Judah) means 'praised' and is derived from a root that signifies 'to praise.' Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, and he is the ancestor of the tribe of Judah, which plays a crucial role in the history of Israel.
Judah's name reflects a significant aspect of his character and the tribe's future, as it is associated with leadership and praise. The tribe of Judah is later known for producing kings, including David and ultimately the lineage leading to the Messiah.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause of the verse consists of a noun phrase listing the names: רְאוּבֵ֣ן, שִׁמְע֔וֹן, לֵוִ֖י, and וִיהוּדָֽה. The structure is straightforward, presenting the names in a simple list format.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the names themselves, which are central to the identity of the Israelites.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יְהוּדָה is rendered as ιουδας (Ioudas). This choice maintains the meaning of 'Judah' and aligns with the Hebrew, reflecting the continuity of the name across translations.
The Septuagint's use of the Greek form shows the cultural adaptation of the Hebrew names for a Greek-speaking audience.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 1:2 lists the names of Jacob's sons who went to Egypt: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. These names are important as they represent the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, setting the foundation for the nation's history.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The names represent the patriarchs of the tribes of Israel, establishing the lineage and foundation of the Israelite nation.
Judah's name means 'praised' and signifies his role as a leader among the tribes, eventually becoming the lineage from which King David and the Messiah would come.
These names set the stage for the Israelites' journey in Egypt, highlighting their origins and the fulfillment of God's promises to their ancestors.
Levi was the father of the Levitical priesthood, which played a central role in Israel's worship and religious practices.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do these names reveal about the identity of the Israelites?
- How can understanding the lineage of Judah enhance our understanding of biblical history?
- In what ways do the roles of these tribes influence the narrative of the Old Testament?
- How does the significance of these names impact our understanding of God's promises?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 1:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleReuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. The first sons of Jacob by Leah.
Read John Gill on Exodus 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryReuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1–7. Growth of the descendants of Jacob in Egypt, after Joseph’s death, into a great people.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 1 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleOF ISRAEL, Exodus 1:1-6. 1-5. These are the names — The heads of the tribes are recounted, and the statement of Gen 46:27 is repeated, that seventy souls went down into Egypt; the writer, from the
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 1 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Tyndale line
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Leui, and Iudah,
Strictly literal
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
From the Latin
Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,
Simplified
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists רְאוּבֵ֣ן, שִׁמְע֔וֹן, לֵוִ֖י, and וִיהוּדָֽה without variation. The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees word for word with the Masoretic Text. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but align with the names listed in the Masoretic Text.
רְאוּבֵ֣ן שִׁמְע֔וֹן לֵוִ֖י וִיהוּדָֽה׃
4 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ראובן ושׁמעון ולוי ויהודה
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
ראובן שמעון [לוי] [ויהודה]
nothing on the leather here — 2 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
[ראובן] [שמעון] [לוי] [ויהודה]
nothing on the leather here — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 1:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רְאוּבֵן (Reuben) refers to the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, meaning 'behold a son.' He is the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben, which is mentioned in the context of the Old Testament. The name is derived from the imperative of the verb for 'see' and the word for 'son.' Reuben is first mentioned in Genesis 29:32.
רְאוּבֵן 71 n.pr.m. Reuben
eldest son of Jacob and Leah
as name of clan or tribe
base
H7205 רְאוּבֵן Reuben
7205 R'uwben reh-oo-bane'
from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son; Reuben, a
son of Jacob:--Reuben.
see HEBREW for 07200
see HEBREW for 01121
רְאוּבֵן (re.u.ven) — Reuben.
A man of the tribe of Reuben living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.32;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);
father of: Hanoch (H2585J), Pallu (H6396), Hezron (H2696) and Carmi (H3756)
§ Reuben = "behold a son"
1) the eldest son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Reuben
3) the territory inhabited by the tribe of Reuben
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
roo'-ben, ru'-ben (re'ubhen; Rhouben): The eldest son of Jacob, born to him by Leah in Paddan-aram (Ge 29:32).
1. Jacob's Oldest Son:
This verse seems to suggest two derivations of the name. As it stands in Massoretic Text it means "behold a son"; but the reason given for so calling him is "The Lord hath looked upon my affliction," which in Hebrew is ra'ah be`onyi, literally, "He hath seen my affliction." Of his boyhood we have only the story of the mandrakes (Ge 30:14). As the firstborn he should really have been leader among his father's sons. His birthright was forfeited by a deed of peculiar infamy (Ge 35:22), and as far as we know his tribe never took the lead in Israel. It is named first, indeed, in
Reuben
Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29:32). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22, brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4). He showed kindness to Joseph, and was the means of saving his life when his other brothers would have put him to death (37:21,22). It was he also who pledged his life and the life of his sons when Jacob was unwilling to let Benjamin go down into Egypt. After Jacob and his family went down into Egypt (46:8) no further mention is made of Reuben beyond what is recorded in ch. 49:3,4.
(behold a son), Jacob’s firstborn Child, (Genesis 29:32) the son of Leah. (B.C. 1753.) The notices of the patriarch Reuben give, on the whole a favorable view of his disposition. To him and him alone the preservation of Joseph’s life appears to have been due and afterward he becomes responsible for his safety. (Genesis 37:18-30; 42:37) Of the repulsive crime which mars his history, and which turned the blessing of his dying father into a curse --his adulterous connection with Bilhah-- we know from the Scriptures only the fact. (Genesis 35:22) He was of an ardent, impetuous, unbalanced but not ungenerous nature; not crafty and cruel, as were Simeon and Levi, but rather, to use the metaphor of the dying patriarch, boiling up…
Behold, a son! The eldest son of Jacob and Leah, so-called in reference to the sentiment of his mother, "The Lord hath looked on my affliction," Ge 29:32. Reuben, having defiled his father’s concubine Bilhah, lost his birthright and all the privileges of primogeniture, the preeminence in the family being given to Judah, and the double portion to the two sons of Joseph, Ge 35:22 48:5 49:3,4,8,10 1Ch 5:1,2. He shared in his brother’s jealousy of Joseph, and yet interposed to save his life at Dothan with the design of restoring him privately to his father, Ge 37:18-30. See also his well-meant proposal in Ge 42:27. His…
שִׁמְעוֹן (Shim`own) refers to Simeon, the second son of Jacob and Leah, and the name of the tribe descended from him. The entries highlight his familial connections and mention a post-exilic Israelite with a foreign wife. The name is associated with the meaning 'heard,' derived from the root for hearing.
שִׁמְעוֹן 44 n.pr.m.
second son of Jacob and Leah
tribal name
post-ex. Jew with foreign wife
base
H8095 שִׁמְעוֹן . second son of Jacob and Leah
. tribal name
. post-ex. Jew with foreign wife
8095 Shim`own shim-one'
from 8085; hearing; Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the
tribe descended from him:--Simeon.
see HEBREW for 08085
שִׁמְעוֹן (shim.on) — Simeon.
A man of the tribe of Simeon living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.33;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Canaanite_woman (H3669);
father of: Jemuel (H3223), Jamin (H3226), Ohad (H0161), Jachin (H3199), Zerah (H2226L) and Shaul (H7586H)
§ Simeon or Shimeon = "heard"
1) the 2nd son of Jacob by his wife Leah and progenitor of the tribe of Simeon
2) an Israelite of the sons of Bani who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
שִׁמְעוֹן (shim.on) — Shimeon.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.31
§ Simeon or Shimeon = "heard"
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Simeon
Hearing. (1.) The second son of Jacob by Leah (Gen. 29:33). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (34:25, 26). He was detained by Joseph in Egypt as a hostage (42:24). His father, when dying, pronounced a malediction against him (49:5-7). The words in the Authorized Version (49:6), “they digged down a wall,” ought to be, as correctly rendered in the Revised Version, “they houghed an ox.”
(2.) An aged saint who visited the temple when Jesus was being presented before the Lord, and uttered lofty words of thankgiving and of prophecy (Luke 2:29-35).
(3.) One of the ancestors of Joseph (Luke 3:30).
(heard). The second of Jacob’s son by Leah. His birth is recorded in (Genesis 29:33) The first group of Jacob’s children consists, besides Simeon, of the three other sons of Leah --Reuben, Levi, Judah. Besides the massacre of Shechem, (Genesis 34:25) the only personal incident related of Simeon is the fact of his being selected by Joseph as the hostage for the appearance of Benjamin. (Genesis 42:19,24,36; 43:23) The chief families of the tribe of Simeon are mentioned int he lists of (Genesis 46:10) At the census of Sinai Simeon numbered 59,300 fighting men. (Numbers 1:23) When the second census was taken, at Shittim…
1. One of the twelve patriarches, the son of Jacob and Leah, Ge 29:33 Ex 6:15. Some have thought he was more guilty than his brethren in the treatment of Joseph, Ge 37:20 42:24 43:23; but he may have been detained as a hostage because he was one of the eldest sons. The tribes of Simeon and Levi were scattered and dispersed in Israel, in conformity with the prediction of Jacob, on account of their sacrilegious and piratical revenge of the outrage committed against Dinah their sister, Ge 34:1-31 49:5. Levi had no compact lot or portion in the Holy Land; and Simeon received for his portion only a district dismembered from Judah, with some other lands the tribe overran in the…
that hears or obeys; that is heard
לֵוִי (Levi) refers to a man from the tribe of Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. The name means 'attached' or 'joined to.' He is the father of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and is first mentioned in Genesis 29:34. The entries indicate his significance as the progenitor of the Levites.
לֵוִי n.pr.m. Levi
base
H3878 לֵוִי Levi
3878 Leviy lay-vee'
from 3867; attached; Levi, a son of Jacob:--Levi. See also
3879, 3881.
see HEBREW for 03867
see HEBREW for 03879
see HEBREW for 03881
לֵוִי (le.vi) — Levi.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.34;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144);
father of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115)
§ Levi = "joined to"
the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Levi
Adhesion. (1.) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah’s words (Gen. 29:34), “This time will my husband be joined [Heb. yillaveh] unto me.” He is mentioned as taking a prominent part in avenging his sister Dinah (Gen. 34:25-31). He and his three sons went down with Jacob (46:11) into Egypt, where he died at the age of one hundred and thirty-seven years (Ex. 6:16).
(joined). The name of the third son of Jacob by his wife Leah. (B.C. about 1753.) The name, derived from lavah , "to adhere," gave utterance to the hope of the mother that the affections of her husband, which had hitherto rested on the favored Rachel, would at last be drawn to her: "This time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons." (Genesis 29:34) Levi, with his brother Simeon, avenged with a cruel slaughter the outrage of their sister Dinah. [DINAH] Levi, with his three sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari, went down to Egypt with his father Jacob. (Genesis 47:11) When Jacob’s death draws near, and the sons are gathered round him, Levi and Simeon hear the old crime brought up again to receive its sentence. They no less than Reuben, the incestuous…
1. The third son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia; and father of three sons, and of Jochebed the mother of Moses, Ge 29:34 Ex 6:16-20. For his share in the treacherous massacre of the Shechemites, Ge 34:1-31, his father at death foreboded evil to his posterity, Ge 49:5-7; but as they afterwards stood forth on the Lord’s side, Moses was charged to bless them, Ex 32:26-29 De 33:8-11. The tribe of Levi was, according to Jacob’s prediction, scattered over all Israel, having no share in the cities in the portions of other tribes. All the tithes, first fruits, and…
associated with him
יְהוּדָה (yehudah) means 'Judah' and is derived from a root meaning 'praised.' It refers to the son of Jacob and Leah, the tribe descended from him, and the territory they occupied. The term also encompasses the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Additionally, it identifies various individuals, including Levites and overseers during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah
n.pr.m.
son of Jacob and Leah
tribe descended from Judah
nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel
Levite, Ezra’s time
an overseer of Jerus.
Levite musician
priest
n.pr.terr. land of Judah
base
H3063 יְהוּדָה Judah
3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw'
from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five
Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of
its territory:--Judah.
see HEBREW for 03034
יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah) — Judah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);
father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)
§ Judah = "praised"
1) the son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah
4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon
5) a Levite in Ezra's time
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Judah
Praise, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah. The name originated in Leah’s words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: “Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah” (Gen. 29:35).
It was Judah that interposed in behalf of Joseph, so that his life was spared (Gen. 37:26, 27). He took a lead in the affairs of the family, and “prevailed above his brethren” (Gen. 43:3-10; 44:14, 16-34; 46:28; 1 Chr. 5:2).
Soon after the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, Judah went to reside at Adullam, where he married a woman of Canaan. (See ONAN; TAMAR.) After the death of his wife Shuah, he returned to his father’s house, and there exercised much…
(praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. (Genesis 37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. (Genesis 43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. (Genesis 46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words…
The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, B. C. 1755, Ge 29:35. His name appears honorably in the history of Joseph, Ge 37:26,27 44:16-34; but disgracefully in that of Tamar his daughter-in-law, Ge 38:1-30. The dying benediction of Jacob foretells the superior power and prosperity of the family of Judah, and their continuance as chief of the Jewish race until the time of Christ, Ge 49:8-12. Though not the firstborn, Judah soon came to be considered as the chief of Jacob’s children, and his tribe was the most powerful and numerous. The southeastern part of Palestine fell to their lot. See JUDEA. On the border of their territory was Jerusalem, the seat of the…
the praise of the Lord; confession